Department for Transport

Railways: Surveys

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many railway routes have been canvassed by staff from (a) his Department and (b) Savanta for the purpose of carrying out surveys to understand rail passengers’ travel patterns since 7 June 2022; and which routes were canvassed.

Kevin Foster: Departmental staff have not canvassed passengers as part of the research.To date, Savanta has gathered views from passengers on 140 routes. A final list of routes to be surveyed will be selected with the aim of ensuring that the overall sample is as representative of journeys on each train operating company.

Railways: Weather

Sam Tarry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with rail operators regarding extreme weather events and their impact on the rail infrastructure.

Kevin Foster: Network Rail and the wider industry are responsible for managing the effects of any weather-related incidents on the railway, and they have well-established operational measures they implement to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events.When extreme weather is forecast, the Department maintains particularly close contact with Network Rail to support industry in their preparation as they implement appropriate mitigations.Looking ahead, Network Rail is drafting long-term plans, and has in place a weather resilience and climate change strategy to ensure the infrastructure can cope with climate change and short-term periods of extreme weather. The Department continues to support the rail industry in this regard.

Railways: Climate Change

Sam Tarry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will undertake a review of standards and engineering of rail infrastructure, in the context of more severe summers and less severe winters brought about by climate change.

Kevin Foster: The Department expects Network Rail to manage the resilience of the rail network to severe weather, taking account of the impacts of climate change, and exploring new technology that could help improve resilience.Looking ahead, Network Rail is drafting long-term plans, and has in place a weather resilience and climate change strategy to ensure the infrastructure can cope with climate change and short-term periods of extreme weather. The Department continues to support the rail industry in this regard.

Railways: Industrial Disputes

Christian Matheson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total expenditure budgeted by his Department is for the on-train market research into the impact of recent industrial action on the railways.

Kevin Foster: The Department has commissioned research to investigate the disruptive impacts of rail strikes on passengers, including disruption regarding travel to and from work, school, medical appointments and leisure activities. The research has a budget of £218,000.

Railways: Surveys

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Savanta staff have been engaged in carrying out surveys commissioned by his Department to understand rail passengers’ travel patterns since 7 June 2022.

Kevin Foster: Sampling is being carried out in such a way as to provide a representative coverage of train operating companies (TOCs). The planned total sample size will be of a scale which will allow robust conclusions to be drawn from the data.

Railways: Standards

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish the (a) performance scores and (b) fees for March 2021 to March 2020 under (i) emergency agreements and (ii) National Rail Contracts.

Kevin Foster: The Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) and Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement (ERMA) contracts’ performance scores and fees for the evaluation period 1 April 2021 to 18 September 2021 (2021 Rail Periods 01-07) are expected to be published in the Autumn.For train operators on both i) EMA and ERMA emergency contracts and ii) National Rail Contracts their performance, for the remainder of 2021/22, are being evaluated this summer and the scores and fees are expected to be published by the end of the year.

Railways: Industrial Disputes

Michelle Donelan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to provide minimum service levels on railways during periods of industrial action.

Kevin Foster: Recent strike action on rail has highlighted the need for a fairer approach to providing train services during times of strike action. Minimum Service Levels legislation would, in future, help to ensure an appropriate level of train services would still operate during strike action.

Bus Services: Hertfordshire

Bim Afolami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the initial performance of the Demand Response Travel project funded in 2021 in the rural North East of Hertfordshire.

Karl McCartney: Our £20m Rural Mobility Fund is supporting 17 innovative, demand-led minibus trials in rural and suburban areas including in North East Hertfordshire. These pilots are exploring whether Demand Responsive Travel can serve these communities more effectively than traditional public transport solutions alone. While it is too early to assess the full impact of the pilots, early indications show Hertfordshire County Council have exceeded the journey target they had set for the first year after launch.

Railways: Temperature

Sam Tarry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of rail infrastructure to handle extreme heats.

Kevin Foster: Network Rail and the wider industry are responsible for managing the effects of any weather-related incidents on the railway, and they have well-established operational measures they implement to protect infrastructure and manage services safely during extreme weather events.The Department continues to support the rail industry as they develop longer-term plans to improve the resilience of rail infrastructure during periods of extreme weather.

Railways: Surveys

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department (a) has and (b) is due to pay to Savanta Group for surveys on the travel patterns of rail passengers since 7 June 2022.

Kevin Foster: The research project has a budget of £218,000.

Motorways: Safety

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safe and effective management of smart motorways.

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of fatalities on smart motorways.

Kevin Foster: The Government has acted to improve smart motorway safety, ordering a stocktake in 2020 and investing £900 million to equip them with stopped vehicle detection, enforcement cameras, additional signs and emergency areas, while pausing the rollout of new smart motorways to collect more data.

Railways: Tickets

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of railway ticket office closures on (a) older people who do not use the internet and (b) other groups who may have difficulty purchasing a ticket online or from a machine.

Kevin Foster: Passengers should have access to a ticketing system that is user-friendly, where help and advice from a trained representative is available and is accessible to all. While no final decision has been taken on ticket offices, station staff will still provide face-to-face services on the railways, which can be crucial for those who need additional support, and cannot or do not want to use contactless or mobile tickets. We want to ensure that railway staff can help all customers where needed and our reforms will enable us to move staff out of underused ticket offices and provide help where it's most needed in the station.

West Coast Partnership Rail Franchise

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the decision on the future of the West Coast Partnership due for expiry on 16 October 2022 will be made.

Kevin Foster: As with all contract awards, the Government will consider all options for when Avanti West Coast’s contract expires on 16 October.

Department for Transport: Senior Civil Servants

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Department for Transport Annual Report and Accounts 2021–22, published in July 2022, within which directorate in his Department does a senior civil servant earning between £260,000-£264,999 work.

Robert Courts: The Department for Transport has one member of staff earning between £260,000 and £264,999 in Passenger Services, part of the Rail Strategy and Services Group.

Bus Services: Standards

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, HC 492, published on 20 July 2022, what data will be used to show performance against the priority outcome for the percentage of bus users who were satisfied with their most recent journey.

Robert Courts: The data for the Outcome Delivery Plan metric 'Proportion of bus users satisfied with their most recent journey' is taken from Transport Focus' annual Bus Passenger Survey which was last undertaken in 2019.New metrics are currently being investigated.

Invalid Vehicles: Charging Points

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with manufacturers of electric vehicle charging stations on the potential merits of the inclusion of charging provisions for mobility scooters in stations produced.

Robert Courts: The Department for Transport have not had any discussions with manufacturers of electric vehicle charging stations on the inclusion of charging provisions for mobility scooters.The law states that Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles may only be used by a disabled person, or by a non-disabled person who is demonstrating a vehicle before sale, training a disabled user or taking the vehicle to or from a place for maintenance or repair. A disabled person in this context is someone with an injury, physical disability or medical condition which means that they are unable to walk or have difficulty in walking. It would therefore be impractical to have charge points which would require mobility scooters to be stationary for long periods leaving the disabled person confined to their mobility scooter when out and about.

Railways: Surveys

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many railway stations have been canvassed by staff from (a) his Department and (b) Savanta for the purpose of carrying out surveys to understand rail passengers’ travel patterns since 7 June 2022.

Kevin Foster: The research project gathers views from passengers onboard trains. No passengers have been canvassed at stations by a) Department staff or b) Savanta since 7 June 2022.

Invalid Vehicles: Speed Limits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of speed limit for class 2 and class 3 mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs on the safety of (a) users and (b) pedestrians and road users.

Robert Courts: The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of the speed limit for class 2 and class 3 mobility scooters. The safety of all road users is a key priority for the Government and the current speed limit for mobility scooters is based on both safety and mobility considerations and balances the interests of all road users.

Invalid Vehicles

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the inclusion of mobility scooters in road vehicle passing guidance within the highway code.

Robert Courts: Rule H2 of The Highway Code states that pedestrians include wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and Rule 163 of The Highway Code makes it clear that drivers should allow at least 2 meters of space and keep to a low speed when passing a pedestrian in the road.

Large Goods Vehicles: Hitchin

Bim Afolami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to bring in measures to help alleviate problems with HGVs using unsuitable residential roads in Hitchin.

Robert Courts: The Government believes local authorities are best able to manage traffic on local roads and consider the needs of local residents. Powers given to local authorities under Sections 1 & 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 allow for the restriction or prohibition of the use of HGVs on any road, for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons. These measures can be implemented by making Traffic Regulation Orders without reference to the Department for Transport.The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 provide various signs for authorities to consider if they choose to do this, including signs informing motorists that certain roads are unsuitable for HGVs or if a weight limit is in place. The restrictions are then enforceable by the police.

Road Traffic Offences: Greater London

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the amount of money levied by local authorities in London through penalties incurred by motorists entering Low Traffic Networks.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the appropriateness of local authorities in London using Low Traffic Networks to raise revenue from fines.

Robert Courts: ‘Low-traffic neighbourhoods’ have been around for many years but have only recently become known by this name. It describes a collection of measures designed to remove rat-running traffic from streets. The key feature is generally a road closure, which prevents through motor traffic from accessing the road but permits cycling and walking. Access is maintained for residents and their visitors and for essential services.Closures may be implemented using existing standard traffic management measures such as signed access restrictions to through motor traffic. These are enforceable in the same way and with the same penalties as when used on any other part of the road network. Enforcement of such restrictions is a matter for local authorities, where they have taken up the powers, and as such the Department has made no such estimate of the penalties incurred.The use of any surplus funds resulting from civil enforcement of such traffic restrictions in London is subject to the requirements set out in Schedule 2 to the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003, which ring-fences how any surplus may be used.

Railways: Greater London

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in the context of a proposed reduction in rail service frequency and carriage numbers in London, whether his Department has undertaken modelling of potential modal changes from rail towards (a) private cars and (b) other forms of public transport in (i) London and (ii) the South East.

Kevin Foster: Govia Thameslink Railway is making evidence-based timetable interventions agreed in the 22/23 business plan process that better optimises service levels to balance capacity and demand. The Department will continue to monitor implementation and changes in demand carefully to identify where further interventions may be required in the future.

Railways: Surveys

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many surveys his Department has commissioned from Savanta to understand rail passengers’ travel patterns since 7 June 2022.

Kevin Foster: As well as the research to understand rail passengers’ travel behaviours during rail strikes, Savanta was awarded a contract in August 2022 to deliver an online Rail Tracker Survey. This will deliver regular data collection for the Department on a wide range of rail topics relevant to rail reform.

Avanti West Coast: Timetables

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the (a) Government and (b) Avanti are liable for the revenue loss resulting from the reduced timetable for Avanti West Coast services.

Kevin Foster: Avanti remains on an Emergency Measures Recovery Agreement, a successor agreement to the Emergency Measures Agreement that was entered into during the Covid pandemic. Therefore, HMG take responsibility for all costs and revenues.

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Technology

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the assessment criteria are for companies wishing to apply for funding through the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP) assessment criteria are as follows: Desirability: strategic fit, including alignment with Enduring Capability Challenges, and end user support/pullFeasibility: technical credibility, innovation, risk, and expertise of team/capabilityViability: costs and value for money, commercialisation and project delivery/plan  The full assessment criteria for DTEP can be found on the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) website on GOV.UK, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1093679/DTEP_Assessment_Criteria.pdf

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Government Major Projects Portfolio Data 2022, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of delivering the Armoured Cavalry 2025 Ajax programme (a) on time and (b) on budget in the context of the Independent Projects Authority's rating of that programme as red.

Alec Shelbrooke: The Ministry of Defence continues to work with General Dynamics to resolve the noise and vibration problems on Ajax while protecting the taxpayers' interests. As acknowledged by the Infrastructure Projects Authority the project remains within its approved budget and General Dynamics are required to deliver to the terms of the £5.5 billion firm-priced contract. We will not accept a vehicle until it can be used safely for its intended purposes and until long-term solutions to the noise and vibration problems have been found, we cannot determine a realistic timescale for the introduction of Ajax into operational service.

Nuclear Powered Vessels: Shipbuilding

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Government Major Projects Portfolio Data 2022, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of delivering the Core Production Capability programme (a) on time and (b) to budget in the context of the Independent Projects Authority's rating of that project as red.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Department remains committed to delivering the reactor cores our submarine build programme needs. One of the factors that contributes to a red IPA rating is risk. Obviously, a combination of a “first in class” and a “highly complex capability” will raise risk levels much higher. We are constantly working to reduce risk and, following the Infrastructure Project Authority’s report on the Core Production Capability, we are currently implementing a number of changes to minimise any impact. An Accounting Officer Assessment will be published once this work has been completed.

F-35 Aircraft: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much and what proportion of the increase in the whole-life cost to the Lighting Programme is a result of inflation.

Alec Shelbrooke: The cost of delivering the Lightning Programme is under constant scrutiny in order to deliver the most cost-efficient capability to UK defence. Changes to its Whole Life Costs are reported through Ministry of Defence's Government Major Projects Portfolio data.

Military Aircraft: Training

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total cost of the Military Flying Training System contract has been in each of the last five financial years.

Alec Shelbrooke: The cost of the UK Military Flying Training System Contract with Ascent in each of the last five financial years (FY) is as follows: FY2017-18FY2018-19FY2019-20FY2020-21FY2021-22£75,331,323£144,534,848£180,868,883£183,212,561£196,150,573

Ministry of Defence: Coronavirus

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the delivery schedules for his Department's major projects.

Alec Shelbrooke: The delivery schedules of our programmes may be impacted by a range of factors, including COVID. Any issues are dealt with as part of normal programme governance. The portfolio of major programmes is reviewed on a quarterly basis both internally and by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to identify and address any systemic issues.

Ministry of Defence: Costs

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Government Major Projects Portfolio data 2022, whether there is a difference between (a) whole and (b) through life costs.

Alec Shelbrooke: Both whole life costs and through life costs for a programme reflect the total cost of ownership over the life of the asset. These may be refined through the lifecycle of a programme. Where capabilities will remain in service for several decades, disposal costs may form part of a separate programme of work.

Hawk Aircraft

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the nature of the issue is with the Rolls-Royce engine on the Hawk jet; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that issue on training.

Alec Shelbrooke: A fault has been identified with the Rolls-Royce/Safran Adour 951 engine, which powers the Hawk TMk2. The fault affects the components contained in the Safran manufactured Module 1 of the engine, also known as the Low-Pressure Compressor. As a precaution, a number of engines have been temporarily removed from service whilst the Ministry of Defence supports a Rolls-Royce/Safran investigation into the root cause and rectification. While this has reduced current aircraft availability, Fast Jet training is continuing at RAF Valley.Initial assessments suggest the reduction in aircraft availability will have an impact on UK Fast Jet (FJ) training output over the next three years, but work is ongoing to minimise that impact.

Type 26 Frigates: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-year spends on the Type 26 frigate have been since that project's commencement.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-year spends on the Type 31 frigate have been since that project's commencement.

Alec Shelbrooke: Expenditure for the Manufacture phases for the Type 26 and Type 31 frigate programmes (rounded to the nearest million) is detailed in the table below. Costs incurred against the Assessment Phase have not been included, in line with normal reporting against Business Case approvals. The costs Spend data for the current financial year (FY2022-23), is excluded as this is incomplete.  Project NameFY2017-18 £ millionFY2018-19 £ millionFY2019-20 £ millionFY2020-21 £ millionFY2021-22 £ millionType 26288.8464.3507572.3642.2Type 31  75.4199.2252.6

Trident Missiles: Scotland

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has held recent discussions with Scottish police fire and emergency services on the safety of convoys carrying Trident nuclear weapons driving on roads in Scotland.

Mr Ben Wallace: Defence Nuclear Materials are transported only when necessary to meet operational requirements, and a wide range of safety and contingency measures are in place to ensure nuclear transport operations are conducted safely. Officials from my Department have regular discussions with all relevant agencies regarding the movement of Defence Nuclear Materials, including with the police, fire and emergency services in Scotland.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to MOD Government Major Projects Portfolio Data, 2022, which aspiration projects were not included in the Spending Review proposition and as part of the re-baselining exercise, leading to whole life costs for the Defence Estate Optimisation increasing by £4.127 billion.

Alec Shelbrooke: The capital investment for Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) has not increased. The Spending Review secured the method of funding for DEO, it did not see the capital investment budget increase.Aspirational projects by their nature are unfunded proposals that are still to be assessed, and therefore were not included in the DEO Spending Review proposition which was to secure funding for costed Defence priority projects.

Ajax Lessons Learned Review

Mr Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of when the independent QC's inquiry into the management of the Ajax Armoured Vehicle programme will be concluded; whether he plans to publish that report; and if he will make a statement.

Alec Shelbrooke: Clive Sheldon KC was formally appointed on 19 May 2022 to lead the independent Ajax Lessons Learned Review. In accordance with his terms of reference, he advised the Department in June that he estimated it would take him a further six months to finish gathering information and draft his report. I intend to publish the report, subject to redaction of commercially sensitive content and personal information where applicable, as soon as possible after it is finalised.

Nuclear Powered Vessels: Shipbuilding

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's Government Major Projects Portfolio Data 2022, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of delivering the Core Production Capability programme (a) on time and (b) on budget in the context of the Independent Projects Authority's rating of that programme as red.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Department remains committed to delivering the reactor cores our submarine build programme needs. One of the factors that contributes to a red IPA rating is risk. Obviously, a combination of a “first in class” and a “highly complex capability” will raise risk levels much higher. We are constantly working to reduce risk and, following the Infrastructure Project Authority’s report on the Core Production Capability, we are currently implementing a number of changes to minimise any impact. An Accounting Officer Assessment will be published once this work has been completed.

Department for Work and Pensions

Refugees: Ukraine

Bim Afolami: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on providing support to Ukrainian refugees to help find employment.

David Rutley: DWP Ministers meet regularly with their counterparts in the Home Office to discuss the ongoing support being provided to those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian evacuees on either Homes for Ukraine or the Family Scheme have immediate access to the full range of DWP employment support and services at the point of a successful claim to benefit. DWP Work Coaches are supporting individuals to identify suitable roles and access appropriate training through our Sector based work academies and other provision, including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) training, and support through the range of Plan for Jobs provision. A large number of employers have come forward in response to the situations in Afghanistan and Ukraine with job vacancies which are open to any potential applicant. These vacancies are shared across the Job Centre network and with Refugee Employment Network (REN) a charity who support organizations who help refugees find work. Support from Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders and Visiting Officers is also available where complex needs are identified.

Cost of Living Payments

James Daly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Cost of Living Payments have been processed since 14 July 2022.

David Rutley: Since the 14th July, the government has processed around 8.4m cost of living payments, worth around £2.7 billion, to eligible claimants who are due to receive the £326 support from DWP or HMRC. There will be some cases – such as those who gained entitlement to the DWP or HMRC cost of living payment at a later date – that will be paid later. Over 7.2m payments have been processed by DWP and over 1.1m payments have been processed by HMRC. Numbers may not add up due to rounding.

Treasury

England Illegal Money Lending Team: Finance

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide additional resources to the England Illegal Money Lending Team to tackle the threat of illegal money lending.

Andrew Griffith: The Government recognises the dangers of illegal money lending, and that is why the Treasury funds the Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs) across the UK via an industry levy collected by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Since taking over funding of the IMLTs in 2017, the Treasury has increased their annual funding by 37%. For the 2022/23 financial year, the Treasury increased funding for the England Illegal Money Lending Team by over 6% compared to 2021/22. HMT officials regularly meet the IMLTs to understand the latest intelligence and monitor how funding is being deployed. These discussions will inform decisions about the appropriate levels of funding for the next financial year.

Customs

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much public money has been spent on the building of inland border facilities as of 6 September 2022.

Richard Fuller: Inland Border Facilities (IBFs) were introduced to help facilitate the flow of trade at the border following the UK leaving the EU, and to provide support to ports that were unable to provide the infrastructure required. HMRC ensure all build costs associated with IBFs represent value for money. HMRC monitor the performance at all IBF locations and continuously work to ensure a proactive, continuous improvement approach across the IBF network. Since April 2020, when HMRC spend on building IBF’s commenced, to the end of August 2022, HMRC has spent around £100 million on the building of IBFs. This includes temporary sites such as Manston, Waterbrook, Birmingham, North Weald, Warrington, and Ebbsfleet that became operational from January 2021 in time for the UK leaving the EU. This also includes an enduring site at Holyhead, as well as early development costs at Dover before a decision was made to not to continue with the build. Further investment is currently underway to complete the Holyhead IBF. It is worth noting that the enduring site at Sevington was delivered by the Department for Transport, and so HMRC do not hold these costs.

Question

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the apprenticeships levy.

Chris Philp: The Apprenticeship Levy is paid by large employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million. As apprenticeship and skills policy is devolved, Apprenticeship Levy funds remain available for employers to spend on apprenticeship training and assessment in England for 24 months before beginning to expire. Unspent Apprenticeship Levy funds are used to fund apprenticeships for non-Levy paying employers, who are often SMEs. As a result, the government pays for 95% of the apprentice training costs for non-levy paying employers. There is no formal review of the Apprenticeship Levy or system at this time.

Finance: Ukraine

Emma Hardy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that financial support provided to (a) the Ukrainian Government and (b) NGOs involved in Ukraine is being used for its intended purposes; and whether he plans to make that information available publicly.

Chris Philp: The UK is one of the largest aid donors to Ukraine, committing over £3.8 billion in assistance. This comprises approximately £2.3 billion in military assistance, and £400 million in economic and humanitarian grant support, including a £220 million package of humanitarian aid. The £3.8 billion package also includes a commitment of approximately £1.3 billion in loan guarantees to support Multilateral Development Banks, particularly the World Bank, to scale up their lending to support the Government of Ukraine’s delivery of essential services. The World Bank has robust financial and risk management systems that ensure support is well-targeted and effectively delivered. The UK government pledges to support Ukraine are published on gov.uk. The UK is also the largest donor to the United Nation’s (UN) Ukraine Humanitarian Fund which grants funding to Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). Our support through this fund will help reach over 2.1m people in need in Ukraine. Inside Ukraine, we are providing support directly to the Government of Ukraine and through the UN, Red Cross and NGOs, including with in-kind assistance. This support is delivered in accordance with the FCDO’s programme management standards to minimise risk and ensure compliance of partners. The UK funds trusted international partners like Mercy Corps and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, through whom we can identify suitable local responders and organisations to provide assistance to communities most in need of support. These organisations have processes to ensure that local responders meet FCDO standards on financial management and preventing exploitation, as well as ensuring they have sufficient capacity to deliver the project to ensure good value for money. We are also conducting independent monitoring to provide assurance that funds are well spent The UK government remains determined to continue to work with international partners, multilateral institutions, and civil society organisations to support Ukraine and its government, by ensuring pledged economic support reaches the country and those affected by the conflict as rapidly as possible.

Question

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help people manage their household budgets in the context of rising inflation.

Andrew Griffith: The government understands that people across the UK are worried about the rising cost of living and are seeing their disposable incomes decrease as they spend more on the essentials. On 8 September, government announced that the energy price cap will be superseded with a new Energy Price Guarantee, which means that a typical UK household will pay no more than £2500 a year on their energy bill over the next 2 years from 1 October. The Government will also introduce a six-month scheme to support businesses, charities and public sector organisations. These measures will save the average household around £1000 a year on current energy prices from October, and protect businesses from soaring energy costs, providing them with the certainty they need to plan their business through the acute crisis this winter. This announcement comes in addition to the £37 billion of support previously announced, which will see eight million of the most vulnerable households receive £1200 support, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits. As a matter of priority, the Chancellor will set out a package of measures to deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment to cut taxes and boost growth, laying the groundwork for the change we need in the long term to make our economy stronger.

Blackmore Bond: Insolvency

Catherine West: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will call for an independent inquiry into the Financial Conduct Authority's handling of the collapse of Blackmore Bonds.

Andrew Griffith: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for securing an appropriate degree of consumer protection across a broad range of financial services products. However, it does not regulate all financial services firms and products. Blackmore Bond Plc was not authorised by the FCA and the sale of the ‘mini-bond’ product it offered was not an activity regulated by the FCA. The FCA does not have power to investigate a firm that is unauthorised and not carrying out any regulated activities. The Government therefore has no plans to commission an independent inquiry into the FCA’s handling of the collapse of Blackmore Bond plc.

Alcoholic Drinks: Exports

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps to reduce HM Revenue and Customs paperwork for alcohol exporters.

Richard Fuller: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 6 July 2022 – UIN26743.

Revenue and Customs: Finance and Staff

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total (a) annual budget and (b) full time equivalent workforce allocated to HMRC's National Minimum Wage teams was in each year since 2015.

Richard Fuller: HMRC’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) compliance work is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who are responsible for NMW legislation and policy. The funding for HMRC’s work on NMW has increased from £13.2 million in 2015-16, to £26.4 million in 2021-22. The following table provides a yearly breakdown of the NMW budget and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff numbers from 2015-16 up to 2021-22. YearBudgetFTE2015-2016£13.2 million2512016-2017£20 million3522017-201825.3 million4132018-201925.2 million4292019-202026.3 million4422020-202126.4 million4202021-202226.4 million390 To note, there are also additional staff across HMRC who contribute to enforcing the NMW including lawyers, technical advisers, and those specialising in criminal investigations, who have not been included in the FTE figures provided in the table.

Bank Services: Post Offices

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the number of banking hubs that have opened in the last 12 months.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of recent bank and ATM closures on elderly and vulnerable people who rely on cash.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the impact of bank branch closures on access to cash in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the number of banking hubs that will open in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire in the next five years.

Andrew Griffith: The Government recognises that cash remains an important part of daily life for millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or elderly. In recognition of this, the Government has introduced legislation to protect access to cash as part of the Financial Services and Markets Bill. The Bill intends to establish the Financial Conduct Authority as the lead regulator for cash access and provide it with appropriate powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of withdrawal and deposit facilities. The FCA has issued clear guidance that firms are expected to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and consider possible alternative access arrangements. For example, for consumers and SMEs wishing to access over-the-counter services, the Post Office Banking Framework allows 99% of personal banking and 95% of business banking customers to carry out their everyday banking at 11,500 Post Office branches in the UK. Following the Government’s commitment to legislate, firms are also working together through the Cash Action Group to develop new initiatives to provide shared services. This includes a process for LINK (which operates the UK’s main ATM network) to assess a community’s needs in the event of a closure of a core cash service or community request and determine if additional facilities are required, such as a shared bank hub. Industry has announced locations for 23 bank hubs to date, in addition to two existing pilot sites. Further details on the assessment process and locations of each bank hub are available on LINK’s website: https://www.link.co.uk/initiatives/bank-branch-closures/. The Government welcomes the direction set by industry’s commitments and looks forward to seeing what results they deliver in protecting facilities for local communities across the UK.

Retail Trade: Business Rates

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that business rates bills do not cause high street shops in (a) Battersea and (b) the rest of the UK to close.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support local businesses in Battersea through reforming the business rates system.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on reducing the headline rate of business rates.

Richard Fuller: The most recent review of business rates concluded at Autumn Budget 2021. The review reaffirmed the importance of business rates for raising revenue for essential local services and announced a £7 billion package of measures to support business over the next 5 years. This includes a freeze to the business rates multiplier in 2022-23, which will support all ratepayers, large and small, meaning bills are 3 per cent lower than without the freeze. The Government has also introduced a new temporary relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure in 2022-23, worth almost £1.7 billion to the sector. These measures will support the businesses that make our high streets and town centres successful. As with all taxes, HM Treasury keeps business rates under review.

Minimum Wage: Non-payment

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investigations involving suspected non-compliance by employers with the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and related legislation were carried out by HMRC in each year since 2015; and how many and what proportion of those investigations led to (a) financial penalties, (b) criminal prosecutions and (c) other enforcement action.

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employers were issued with a financial penalty for non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and related legislation; and what the total value of those penalties was in each year since 2015.

Richard Fuller: The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. HMRC balances recovering NMW arrears for workers as quickly as possible along with a robust approach to enforcement using a range of tools, including civil sanctions and the issuing of Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings (LMEUs), and Labour Market Enforcement Orders (LMEOs). HMRC’s approach to compliance means they go beyond undertaking investigations and issuing penalties. HMRC also works with businesses to help them understand their obligations. Ultimately, HMRC want employers to get it right. It is far better for businesses and workers if an investigation is never needed. The use of criminal prosecutions is reserved for the most serious of cases. The outbreak of COVID-19 meant HMRC had to adapt and take pragmatic decisions about where and how to deploy resource in the most effective manner to ensure both customers and staff were protected whilst still ensuring that workers were receiving the money they were due. HMRC continued to consider all worker complaints and take enforcement action as appropriate. The below table provides numbers for investigations, penalties, value of penalties, prosecutions, and employers from 2015-16 up to 2021-22. YearNumber of InvestigationsInvestigations where arrears enforcedInvestigations where a penalty was chargedValue of penalties issuedNumber of prosecutionsNumber of LMEUsNumber of LMEOs2015/162,667958815£1,780,4670002016/172,6741,134822£3,892,9764002017/182,4021,016810£14,070,6211002018/193,0181,3571,008£17,134,7370802019/203,3761,260992£18,453,28911902020/212,740994575£14,064,6880502021/222,835898696£13,173,0623401

Minimum Wage: Non-payment

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many reports from (a) employees and (b) third parties involving suspected non-compliance of employers with the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and related legislation were received by HMRC in each year since 2015.

Richard Fuller: HMRC considers all complaints from workers, conducts a program of proactive compliance activities, and delivers a program of educational activities to support employers to get it right. Anyone not being paid what they are entitled to can complain online at: https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-complaint or can contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service on 0300 123 1100. HMRC will not tell an employer who complained without the person’s consent. YearWorker complaintsThird party information2015/161,5164182016/172,5737892017/186,0272,1542018/194,9242,3512019/203,3322,4132020/212,7712,2862021/223,3102,944

Question

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of the roll-out of the IR35 off-payroll rules on the private sector.

Richard Fuller: HMRC has commissioned external research into the short-term effects of the April 2021 off-payroll working rules reform in the private and voluntary sectors, and fieldwork for this research has been undertaken.The research will be published in due course.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the new system of alcohol duties announced in October 2021, what discussions he had had with Cabinet colleagues about the objectives of that new system, and what recent assessment he has made of its potential contribution towards a reduction in alcohol harm.

Felicity Buchan: The Chancellor meets with his Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis, to discuss a variety of issues. Autumn Budget 2021 announced a number of reforms to alcohol duty as part of the alcohol duty review. The aim is to move to a new system that taxes all products in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, as is currently the case for spirits. This will ensure stronger alcoholic products pay duty in proportion to their alcoholic content. The reforms will also introduce a reduced rate of duty for products of a lower alcohol by volume (ABV). The government will provide an update on the alcohol duty reforms in due course.

Treasury: Buildings

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the figures supplied by his Department for the Cabinet Office’s weekly publication of civil service headquarters occupancy data, what estimate of the daily capacity of the 1 Horse Guards Road office was used to calculate the percentage of employees working in that building since February 2022.

Felicity Buchan: The current capacity estimate for HMT’s occupancy at 1 Horse Guards Road is 996.

Revenue and Customs and Treasury: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many payments were fraudulently charged to the budgets of (a) his Department and (b) HM Revenue and Customs using electronic purchasing cards in the financial years (i) 2019-20, (ii) 2020-21 and (iii) 2021-22; and what was the total value of fraudulent payments (A) made and (B) recovered in each of those years.

Felicity Buchan: We have identified no fraudulent payments made by HM Treasury or HM Revenue and Customs using electronic purchasing cards in the financial years (i) 2019-20, (ii) 2020-21 or (iii) 2021-22.

UK Infrastructure Bank: Staff

Alex Sobel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK Infrastructure Bank staff have been appointed to be based in (a) Leeds and (b) rest of the UK as of 5 September 2022.

Andrew Griffith: At 5 September 2022, the UK Infrastructure Bank has a total workforce of 160, including interim contractors and government secondees. More than 40% of this total workforce are based in Leeds. Of these, 15 are permanent employees of which 10 are contracted to Leeds and 5 are contracted to London. All those contracted to London transferred on their existing terms from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. The Bank’s Chief Executive and the permanent Executive Directors are all contracted to Leeds. The Bank is now recruiting its permanent workforce. By late 2023, it is intended that 90% of the Bank’s staff will be based outside of London, with the majority of those in Leeds.

Nuclear Power: Government Securities

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the statement in the Green Finance Framework published on 30 June 2021 that the Government will not finance any nuclear energy-related expenditures under that Framework, when he next plans to review that Framework; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of including nuclear energy in the scope of a revised Framework on (a) progress towards achieving Net Zero and (b) energy security.

Andrew Griffith: As set out in the Green Financing Framework, the government recognises that nuclear is, and will continue to be, a key part of the UK’s low-carbon energy mix alongside solar and wind generation and carbon capture and storage. All these technologies are important in tackling climate change and diversifying the UK’s supply, contributing to the UK’s energy security and sustainable growth. HM Treasury will review the Framework on a regular basis. It may be amended from time to time to take account of any changes that HM Treasury considers appropriate.

Business: Energy

Owen Thompson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide backdated support for businesses struggling with high energy bills.

Felicity Buchan: We recognise that many businesses are exposed to increased energy costs, driven by global factors.On 8 September the Government announced a new six-month scheme for businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including charities and public sector organisations like schools). This is a temporary, time-limited measure that will protect them from soaring energy costs and provide them with the certainty they need to plan through the acute crisis this winter. It will provide them with the time they need to transition and adjust their business models accordingly.More specific details will be announced shortly and we expect the scheme to be up and running this Autumn.

Corporation Tax

Sam Tarry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact on the UK economy of (a) cancelling his planned corporation tax rise from 19% to 25% and (b) reducing that rate to 15%.

Richard Fuller: The UK’s main rate of Corporation Tax is currently legislated to increase from 19 per cent to 25 per cent from April 2023. The Prime Minister has committed to cancel this rate increase. The Chancellor will set out any plans on tax and implementation in due course.